Pseudocereals: development of functional foods, their properties, challenges, and opportunities in food processing industry

Poshadri, A. and Deshpande, H. W. and Kshirsagar, R. B. (2024) Pseudocereals: development of functional foods, their properties, challenges, and opportunities in food processing industry. International Food Research Journal (Malaysia), 31. pp. 266-275. ISSN 2231 7546

In recent decades, global consumer food preferences have shifted toward healthier and more sustainable options to combat lifestyle diseases. Pseudocereals like amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, and chia seeds have gained prominence due to their adaptability to different climates and rich nutritional profiles. They provide balanced amino acids, prebiotic starches, fibres, unsaturated fats, B-complex vitamins, vital minerals, and valuable phytochemicals known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive properties. However, pseudocereals contain antinutritional factors. These can be mitigated through processing techniques such as dehulling, soaking, and thermal treatment, which also influence their physicochemical properties, and enhance their antioxidant capacity. This makes pseudocereals excellent ingredients for functional foods. Historically, pseudocereals were integral to various diets but were super-exploited by processed foods like wheat, rice, and maize in the early 20th century. Presently, there is a growing interest in synbiotic functional foods rich in dietary fibre and fermented by probiotics to support gut health. Fermentation of pseudocereals enhances their probiotic and prebiotic properties, reducing antinutritional factors, and increasing nutrient bioavailability. Pseudocereals are also valued for their high-quality protein content (10 - 20%), often extracted through wet and dry methods, with alkaline extraction for gluten free, plant-based products. The rise of non-dairy, gluten-free, and plant protein-based products reflects the associated health benefits, including antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. This article reviews the existing literature on potential pseudocereals health benefits, nutritional importance, processing aspects, and scaling up opportunities in the food processing industry.

Full text available from: Official URL: http://www.ifrj.upm.edu.my/31%20(02)%202024/01%20-...

Abstract

In recent decades, global consumer food preferences have shifted toward healthier and more sustainable options to combat lifestyle diseases. Pseudocereals like amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, and chia seeds have gained prominence due to their adaptability to different climates and rich nutritional profiles. They provide balanced amino acids, prebiotic starches, fibres, unsaturated fats, B-complex vitamins, vital minerals, and valuable phytochemicals known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive properties. However, pseudocereals contain antinutritional factors. These can be mitigated through processing techniques such as dehulling, soaking, and thermal treatment, which also influence their physicochemical properties, and enhance their antioxidant capacity. This makes pseudocereals excellent ingredients for functional foods. Historically, pseudocereals were integral to various diets but were super-exploited by processed foods like wheat, rice, and maize in the early 20th century. Presently, there is a growing interest in synbiotic functional foods rich in dietary fibre and fermented by probiotics to support gut health. Fermentation of pseudocereals enhances their probiotic and prebiotic properties, reducing antinutritional factors, and increasing nutrient bioavailability. Pseudocereals are also valued for their high-quality protein content (10 - 20%), often extracted through wet and dry methods, with alkaline extraction for gluten free, plant-based products. The rise of non-dairy, gluten-free, and plant protein-based products reflects the associated health benefits, including antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. This article reviews the existing literature on potential pseudocereals health benefits, nutritional importance, processing aspects, and scaling up opportunities in the food processing industry.

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Item Type:	Article
AGROVOC Term:	pseudocereals
AGROVOC Term:	plant products
AGROVOC Term:	plant protein
AGROVOC Term:	food composition
AGROVOC Term:	research
AGROVOC Term:	nutrient profiling
AGROVOC Term:	functional properties
AGROVOC Term:	food processing
AGROVOC Term:	functional foods
AGROVOC Term:	human nutrition
Geographical Term:	India
Uncontrolled Keywords:	functional foods, gluten-free, plant proteins, pseudocereals,synbiotic foods
Depositing User:	Nor Hasnita Abdul Samat
Date Deposited:	05 Feb 2026 07:50
Last Modified:	05 Feb 2026 07:53
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/2560

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